Term Glossary: What do these terms mean?

This glossary has been complied made of definitions from students and community members and organisations, like InsideOut and Gender Minorities Aotearoa.  

However, it should be noted that this list is not exhaustive, as our communities are continuously evolving. As such, if you are unsure about a definition, always listen to your rainbow friends and whānau, as they know themselves best! 

Key Umbrella Terms:

 Rainbow (Te Hunga Āniwaniwa) 

An umbrella term to refer to all members of our LGBTQIA+ communities. This is a great word to use if you're not comfortable using queer or an acronym. It is also the term that is primarily used at Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland. 

 Queer 

An umbrella term for our rainbow communities that has been reclaimed as a positive identifier, after being used historically as a slur.   

Takatāpui 

A traditional term, reclaimed to embrace all Māori who identify with diverse sexes, genders and sexualities. Takatāpui denotes a spiritual and cultural connection to the past. It is best understood within its cultural context and may mean something different to each person.  

MVPFAFF+

An acronym used to encompass the diverse gender and sexuality expressions and roles across Pacific cultures. Their meanings are best understood within their cultural context and may mean something different to each person.

The acronym stands for:

• Māhū (Tahiti and Hawaii) 
• Vaka sa lewa lewa (Fiji) 
• Palopa (Papua New Guinea) 
• Fa’afafine (American Samoa, Samoa and Tokelau) 
• Akava’ine (Cook Islands) 
• Fakaleiti (Tonga) 
• Fakafifine (Niue) 

The definitions for each of these terms can be found in the glossary below.

LGBTQIA+ 

An acronym that recognises a diverse range of sexualities, genders and sex characteristics. It is similar to ‘rainbow’ but is based out of Western ideologies and does not always include the indigenous cultures within Aotearoa.

The acronym stands for:

• Lesbian 
• Gay 
• Bisexual 
• Transgender 
• Queer 
• Intersex 
• Asexual 

The definitions for each of these terms can be found in the glossary below. 

Community-Specific Terms: 

Agender (Irakore)

A term describing someone who has an internal sense of being neither a man nor a woman, nor another particular gender; meaning ‘without gender’.  

Akava’ine

Loosely translated to “in the manner of a woman”. Akava’ine is best understood within the Cook Island cultural context.  

Androgynous 

A term used to describe individuals whose outward gender expression cannot be distinguished as feminine or masculine or combine traits that are considered masculine and feminine.   

Aromantic

A term describing someone who experiences little or no romantic attraction and/or a lack of interest in forming romantic relationships.  

Asexual

A term that refers to a person who does not experience sexual attraction to others or has little interest in sexual activity.  

Bisexual (Taerarua) 

A person who is emotionally and sexually attracted to their own and other genders.   

Cisgender (Irapūmau) 

A person whose sense of personal identity and gender corresponds with their sex assigned at birth.   

Demisexual 

A term describing someone who does not experience sexual or physical attraction to another person until they have formed an emotional or romantic connection with that person.   

Endosex 

A term describing a person who has sex characteristics (ie. genitals, gonads) that would have them classified as male or female at birth; a person who does not have variations of sex characteristics.   

Fa’afafine 

Loosely translated to “in the manner of a woman”. Fa’afafine is best understood within the Samoan cultural context.   

Fakaleiti 

Loosely translated to “in the manner of a woman”. Fakaleiti is best understood within the Tongan cultural context.  

Fakafifine 

Loosely translated to “in the manner of a woman”. Fakafifine is best understood within the Niuean cultural context.  

Gay

 A term describing someone who is attracted to people of the same gender as themselves.   

Gender or Gender Identity (Tuakiri ā-ira) 

Gender identity is an individual’s sense of being a woman, a man, neither of these, both or somewhere along a spectrum.   

Gender-diverse (Irahuhua) 

A person who does not conform to their society or culture’s dominant gender roles.  

Gender expression (Whakaputa ā-ira) 

The outward expression of one’s gender; for example through clothing, voice, body shape, and behaviours.  

Genderfluid (Irahuri) 

A person whose gender changes over time, often between multiple binary or non-binary genders.  

Genderqueer (Irakē) 

A person who may identify as neither male nor female, see themselves as outside or in between the binary genders, or feel restricted by gender labels.   

Heterosexual 

A person who is exclusively attracted to people of a different gender than their own.   

Hijra 

The term refers to persons who identify with the third gender, within Indian cultures.   

Ia 

In te reo Māori, singular pronouns are not gendered. Regardless of gender or sex, a person’s pronoun is ‘ia’.  

Intersex (Taihemarua) 

An umbrella term that describes people born with a natural variation of sex characteristics.  

Khwaja Sira 

The term refers to persons who identify with the third gender, within Pakistani cultures.  

Lesbian 

A woman who is attracted to other women.  

Māhū 

Loosely translated to “in the manner of a woman”. Māhū is best understood within Tahitian and Hawaiian cultural contexts.  

Non-binary (Ira Tāhūrua-kore) 

An umbrella term for all genders other of just woman or man.  

Palopa 

Loosely translated to “in the manner of a woman”. Palopa is best understood within the Papua New Guinea cultural contexts.  

Pansexual (Taerarau) 

A person who is attracted to people regardless of their gender.   

Queer 

After being used as a historically derogatory term, ‘queer’ is now a reclaimed word that is often used as an umbrella term encompassing diverse sexualities and genders.  

Questioning 

A person who may be exploring and discovering their own sexual orientation or gender.  

Romantic orientation 

A term used to describe romantic interest in another person. Separate from sexual orientation.  

Sex 

Refers to how a person’s body is classified based on characteristics such as genitals, hormones and chromosomes.  

Sexual orientation (Aronga taera) 

A person's sexual identity, behaviour, and attraction in relation to the gender or genders they are attracted to.   

Straight 

A person who is exclusively attracted to people of a different gender than their own.   

Trans man (Tangata ira tane) 

A man who was assigned female at birth.   

Trans woman (Tangata ira wahine) 

A woman who was assigned male at birth. 

Transitioning 

The process a transgender person may take to affirm their gender. It may involve social, legal, and/or medical steps.   

Transgender (Irawhiti) 

A term that describes a wide variety of people whose gender identity is different from the sex they were assigned at birth.   

Vaka sa lewa lewa 

Loosely translated to “in the manner of a woman”. Vaka Sa Lewa Lewa is best understood within the Fijian cultural context.   

Whakawahine 

Loosely translated to “in the manner of a woman”. Whakawahine is best understood within a Te Ao Māori cultural context.  

Whakatāne 

Loosely translated to “in the manner of a man”. Whakatāne is best understood within a Te Ao Māori cultural context.  * Note: the original use of Whakatāne was ‘in the manner of a man’, as with the naming of the town Whakatāne. The town is not named after transgender men.